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Herbaceous Perennial

Agapanthus praecox

precocious African lily

A clump-forming, evergreen, herbaceous perennial producing narrow, strap-shaped green foliage, to a height of around 80cm (32in) and a spread of around 60cm (24in). Hemispherical heads to 12.5cm (5in) in diameter, of clear blue, funnel-shaped flowers are produced in late summer on straight, green stems up to approximately 1.5m (5ft) high. As an evergreen species, it is more frost tender than the deciduous types and requires protection from frost in winter, especially when grown in colder areas

Other common names

African lily [misapplied]

Synonyms

Agapanthus 'Africanus Blue'
Agapanthus africanus misapplied

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Al parts of the plant are harmful if eaten
Genus: Agapanthus are clump-forming perennials with narrowly strap-shaped leaves, evergreen in some species, and erect stems bearing umbels of funnel-shaped blue or white flowers
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. In cold areas provide winter protection, or if grown in containers, move them into a frost-free position to overwinter. See agapanthus cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagated by division or propagate by seed at 13-15°C when ripe or in spring.

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Mediterranean climate plants
Wildlife gardens
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required other than to remove any dead foliage or spent flower heads

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails and agapanthus gall midge

Diseases

May be susceptible to a virus

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